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Comments
Is there a factory bulletin out on the older steering racks?
Thanks
If you have a fix for the problem, great!
Thanks
Francesco M
I owned a 2003 Impala and this car had a steering clunking noise that took several repairs and it was never fixed, then I sold it purchased a Malibu LS V6 2005. On this car I only have 14,000 miles and I already have a problem with the steering system. Feb 21, 2009 I took it in for a clunking noise, they replaced the steering shaft, it got better but now is clunking again, Then I took it in on May 21, 2009 because when parking there was a creaking noise when turning wheel, they replaced front strut bellow booths, jounce bumpers worn. Creaking noise still there, took it back on June 13, 2009 and this time they told me they replaced the right front strut and bearing because excessively worn. Creaking noise is less but still there. I had called GM on the second repair and complained but they said to take back and dealer to fix it. I am glad I have the extended warranty but it still costed me $ 100.00 for each of the 3 visits and the car has only 14,000 miles! I drive with the worry to lose control, especially on the expressway ! I will never purchase GM cars again.
Francesco M
Mark
Mark
Went with a G6 with a 5 year 50 K warranty, when out of warranty it is gone.
Thanks
06' solara convertible
The first time my rear alignment was out (toe in) it chewed my Bridgestone serenity's with only 30,000k down to slick. After realignment at 6000 kms it's happening again with mainly highway driving. The outside tread is wearing faster.
Any ideas what's causing the alignment to go out? Dealership has inspected the rear suspension and sees no indicators.
Years ago, to absorb vibration, etc. they used a disk of rubber with several layers of cord in it. At two points on the circumference, 180 degrees apart, it was fastened to one section of the shaft, the other two points in between were fastened to the abutting shaft, and it transferred motion from one to the other. Somewhere in the changes to collapsable columns, Ford used an insufficient design where this was done inside where the sections of shaft (square) slid over the other. To absorb and keep shaft tight they used feathered edges of teflon/plastic at the corners. (on later models of Taurus) Those thin edges of plastic break off after some time and allow slop in steering wheel.
So, Chevrolet has come up with what sounds like a stupid idea. I personally see no reason they could not put the electrical pickup portion next to the column, rather than build into. (I am taking a stab in the dark since I don't have details of design) And even if the sensor needed to be around the column, no reason to not remove it by slipping off one end.
seems you either have the problem or not....mine is 6 years old..155K on it and no problems at all
trigger).
It had it right from the beginning, in the winter of 2005-2006. After
the car was slightly rear-ended in the fall of 2006, and its rear
bumper had to be taken off and put back for repainting, the noise got
more pronounced, happening always in cold weather.
I looked carefully at both my 2005 Sedans to understand the cause.
The plastic parts at the rear feel noticeably looser on the problem
car. This, in combination with the "bumper effect" leads me to believe
that the source of the noise are some plastic body parts rubbing
against each other.
Haven't heard the noise this fall yet, and when/if it starts, I'll
probably spray some lubricant over the close-to-the-bumper plastic body
parts and see what happens.
This caught my eye because of my run on I-95. In addition to the tires not behaving as expected, I feel play in the steering wheel. That is "some movement" before the vehicle starts to respond. The type of play you'd get if you had a bad steering column, worn steering rack or gear box, bad tie rod ends, etc. Also, annoying that with a crown in the road it takes more effort to hold the vehicle straight than I'd expect. This could be tires, alignment, or a really weak power steering.
I dropped mine off, 09 Malibu, because of the looseness in the steering wheel, yesterday.
Several local dealers now use Hertz for the loaner car and they put me in an 08 Saturn with the AT4. I'm insulted with GM's thinking. This is the Malibu! There are some minor cosmetic differences. The guy at the counter and I chatted and he said many think the Saturn rides better than the Malibu. Certainly not the one I got.
First it has the looseness in the steering also, only worse. But you have to be perceptive to notice it. Vehicle has 25K miles, several scrapes and small dings including large scrapes and cracks in left side wheel covers. The short distance I've driven, I suspect warped rotors or more likely a bent wheel. It sure seems to have been abused. My Malibu better hold up far better or I might park it in the Senate building or White House lawn.
I also noted that they can't even come close on tire pressures. One side reads 32 and the other 39 psi.
The one they picked me up in was slightly upscale, real leather, but I can only suspect someone applied something they should not have. The leather was hard, almost brittle, and slick.
I will say that I prefer the AT6 coupled to the 2.4, hands down.
In the past few days I've seen several stupid design things about the Malibu. (and Saturn) The little piece of rubber piece that sits in the bottom of the hand grip on the arm rest, they are not attached and easily sucked into a vacuum.
The rubber weather seals that run the length of the vehicle along the roof line and rear window are easily distorted out of position. Poor design.
And I live in a humid climate. Only three months old and lots of black mold growing on the paint surface around the trunk lid. The area concealed when the lid is closed. This is common around here, but it likely could have been prevented if they also sprayed the clear coat there.
Something I had not noticed on mine, but on the Saturn, some sort of anti-vibration device. It is located on the lower cross brace just behind the cooling fans. I will certainly have to check if mine has one.
And the SB about the missing diode from the cooling fan circuitry, the dealer knows nothing of it yet. This should be of a very high priority because its absence can damage any electronic component in the vehicle. Damage that leads to an early death and something that GM should therefore be responsible of. I will search for that SB and post back details and if we start experiencing problems because of the bad design, maybe we can start a class action. Big enough that their lawyers get shut down and decide to cover it.
Any help would be appreciated. :confuse:
You need to describe your situation a bit more, specifically what is attached to the joint in question. It does not sound good.
How many miles on vehicle?
Again, to determine if lower ball joint is worn, you need to have weight on wheel, or put a block under the joint to support. You may have to remove wheel to get blocking into position, and then it would be best if both side are equally elevated so that the stabilizer bar is not exerting any force.
78K might not be premature if you drive a lot of rough road. Is there damage to the rubber boot? I've many times surpassed 150K without replacing lower ball joint on various vehicles.
Have you had the vehicle in somewhere that they might sell front end work and they had it in the air? Unscrupulous mechanics will loosen parts a bit. After some mileage, the part breaks loose from the tight seat and you realize a problem, thus sometimes returning to that last place. Now they sell you the job, and it is much easier to do the work because the parts are already loose.
Are not the bushing separate from the rack?
How were the inner and outer tie rod ends?
I think he is saying he now has problem on driver side. Usually problems develop on the passenger side first.
I have a pickup truck for gravel roads.